"What's there?" She asked as they walked out of the restaurant and towards the lobby, stopping halfway and staring to her left.

"I think it's the hotel bar,"

Jeongguk was about to continue his steps when she asked, "Wanna grab some drink?" 

...

This is a bad idea. Probably the worst idea he had ever agreed upon. And it was never - I mean, NEVER - a bad idea to go drinking with a beautiful girl! But this isn't just any beautiful girl. He's already smitten with her - sitting here is like accepting the universe test on him. It's a handshake, agreeing to take on anything it will throw at him - which he gladly would, if it's other than feeling like he's in a staring contest. Not with the girl but with all these men gawking at her!

A lady who knows exactly what she wants and can confidently down it through so sophisticatedly - while looking like such a bad ass, how is that even possible?? - is sexy as hell, and Jeongguk knows he's not the only one who's trying not to drool. She ordered herself another whisky - who even! - the only people he knew who drink whisky are his guy friends and his dad! None of the girls he went out with had ever drank any sorts of hard liquors...not in front of him at least.

They always like to drink pretty drinks with pretty names. But there she was - tapping the bar as if she'd been a regular there - telling the barista exactly how she likes it. He can't really blame all these men, including the barista - who kept winking at her every time they made eye contact, it's starting to piss him off - but it bothers him...a lot. 

He's used to feeling proud whenever a pretty girl is locked in his arms. He even welcomed it when men stared at them - it made him feel superior in a way. But Lalisa's not in his arms. No...she's in her seat, which is at a comfortable distance beside his. Two guys have already pushed themselves in to somehow get her distracted. Courageous...but in no way successful. 

Jeongguk kept counting his luck when she turned them down and focused back to him. She probably didn't want to make him uncomfortable and it irritates the hell out of him because he didn't know what to do! He wanted to mark his territory. He never wanted to be Jeon Jeongguk so bad until now! But he can't because this...he's totally clueless about this!

He can't simply stand up and be a man about it - she'd think he's making a move or something! Well...of course he wants to 'make a move', but he's scared! He can't take the rejection from her - he wouldn't know what to do with it! It will be embarrassing...and probably takes away the chemistry they've been having that he won't get any chances ever again in the future!

No...Jeongguk has a plan and he's going to stick with it. He's going to wait. He's going to be friends with her first - well, to be completely honest with himself, Jeongguk is 80% sure that Lalisa has friendzoned him! But what is he supposed to do - she just broke up in the worst way possible - she won't want a guy confessing to her now! Especially someone with a resembling background to her ex...but worse. At least the ex is still in the family tree.

"I miss home," She sighed, looking down to her drink. "Maybe I should go back for a while,"

"A while? Like...how long?"

"A week? Maybe a month?"

"A month?!" Was he shouting? Yes. Did it scare her? Maybe a little. "I mean...a month?" Jeongguk fixed his tone. "Would work be okay with that?"

"Yeah...maybe not a month," She laughs. "Work will probably whine a lot," 

As she stares at the glass in front of her, he can't help but felt really bad. It's one of those feelings...like you want to help someone but you can't. And it seems like there's nothing you can do, even if you're ready to drop everything right that second. She's too strong, it makes him feel helpless.

"I'm sorry..." He looks down guiltily. "For what happened today...with your ex,"

She shrugs a smile. Is she really going to act nonchalant in front of him about the entire drama? Is she going to cry alone in the room later?

"It's kinda funny...I'm sure I'll end up laughing about it with Chae when I get back,"

How...

"You know...I'm not...like what you said," He looks down to his fingers, brushing over the round tip of the glass. "I'm not...I mean, I don't consider myself as one...a player, I mean. But you're right about the rest,"

He brave himself to look up. She seemed confused. 

"I was taught to focus in my family's world. Everything that I've become revolves around me as I'm an only child...and I've been groomed to be this person with very little emotions to not cloud my judgment. My dad always says a powerful man thinks 90% with his head, 10% with his heart. There's not much room for feelings when a quarter of the country's salaries depend on you,"

"I'm sorry - I didn't mean to -"

"No, it's okay. You're quite right, and I kind appreciate having you saying all those things. It sorta gave me a perspective. See, I knew what I did was selfish. And I probably deserve getting kicked out by my parents at this point. They've been so patient. And I get what you're saying...that we could've done better. It never crossed my mind before of how my actions could affect others,"

"You don't have to. It's up to you,"

"No. Of course it's up to me, but it's not just me. That's what I didn't realise. But I'm not a player. I'm just...a very weak guy," He sighed a laugh. "I don't play people around. I knew exactly what I wanted and I don't mind being honest about it. I never forced or lied to the girls, never gave them false hope - and the girls, they wanted the same thing too. Of course sometimes, they panicked - just like Chou Tzuyu did - but only cus they have people to answer to, not cus I sugarcoated anything. I'm not saying this to get any sorts of sympathies from you...I just wanna explain so that...you know...maybe you won't think I'm really a player,"

She nods, squinting her eyes as if digesting everything he just said.

"Wow...that's...wait, you just poured your heart out cus I called you a player?"

"Uh...I just..." Just down the drink already! Why does she always have to call him out on things??

"Jeon Jeongguk-ssi...I'm sorry if my words hurt your feelings. You really don't have to explain to me - I have no right to butt in your business -"

"But -"

"I think I said it out of anger...but anyways, what do I know? It shouldn't matter what I say or what other people say. You said so - don't let it cloud your judgment on yourself -"

"But that's the thing...what you said mattered. It upsets me -"

"I'm sorry, I didn't -"

"No, listen," He leans forward, rubbing his already-sweaty palm on his jeans. Why is it so hard to get his point across? Those kitten eyes are staring at him with worry and it's not at all what he wanted. "What you said...for some reason...it got me upset at myself. My mom said to me this morning that I 'fed these things to the media', but I didn't get what she meant. When you said those things...I guess...I guess she's right in that sense,"

"Kook,"

"I'm just...I'm telling you this cus I um...I hate the fact that you see me that way - I promise you, I can be so much better than that guy," 

He's so desperate...so fucking desperate to let her know! She needs to in order for him to start strategising his moves! Rejection is out of the picture - no, not by her. It's times like these that most people would lose hope right? Frustrations could lead to bitterness, and she might never give him the chance if she thinks he's the same.

She stares at his desperate state - probably wondering why on Earth is he saying all these things? But Jeongguk can't take it back. It's out there now. Is it just him, or the flashes of lights that fell on her face makes her seem - what's the word...ethereal? Her eyes...they're drawing him in. Must be the lights...and alcohol...it must be. How else could he felt this slow motion of moving closer to her? 

"Um..." She cleared her throat and Jeongguk pulls himself back out of the spell immediately. She turns back to her glass, drinking all the content in it and taps for another. She shakes her head a little, and Jeongguk thought he heard her muttering curses under her breath. 

...

Well...she's not angry so that's...good? Lalisa is laughing hard after calling him a bunny again and Jeongguk just sits back, enjoying the view while pursing his lips to hide his own smile. Yes...he enjoys her referencing him as a bunny.Only she could do that with such confidence - not even trying to hide it even when she already knew who he is. He's always surrounded by women tho wanted to impress him. Those who were his ideal type. 'Were'.

"I'm sorry -" She took a deep breath and fanned her cheeks. Her bangs parted slightly - just when Jeongguk thought she couldn't get any prettier, "Okay, I'm good! Phew!! I'm sorry but you just looked so cute when you asked that -"

"You're just trying to avoid the intensity of this topic aren't you?"

"Oh yeah, definitely! That...and the fact that you did look like a baby bunny,"

Jeongguk nodded, clicking his tongue in his cheek to avoid smiling like a fool. What is this thing he's feeling in his stomach - floating and flying around?! His chest too - it flutters like crazy looking at her big smile and squishy cheeks!

"Okay, okay, I'll stop," She gathers herself, stretching her neck and looking up and around.  "I mean...there's really nothing to say. It was a huge surprise of course. But I was kinda over it by the time we got to the park. I don't know...I can't really say how I feel about it - maybe it hadn't fully kicked in yet,"

"How long were you together?"

"3 years -"

"3 - what the!!" He gripped the edge of the slider to not fall off his chair. Lalisa looks at him wide-eyed. "How are you together for 3 years but he couldn't even tell you if he has to marry someone else?! And how are you fine with all of this??"

"I don't know...I just am. He was always a nice guy, you know...always sweet to everyone. I don't even think I've ever heard him curse before! When we met - back in Thailand when I was just about to finish my degree - he was so polite and soft-spoken that everyone around me was sort of head over heels for him! My friends kept praising him to me whenever he showed up cus he always did like those gentlemanly-sweet gestures. I think the only person who's not so into him was my dad,"

Okay...that's good! At least there's one person he could try to get in favour to top off the 'perfect' ex! Wait - where are you going with this, stop it Guk!!

"He did everything right. So naturally, I just went along with it. It was simple and easy. There were no dramas, we never argued about anything! He would say yes to whatever I say and I'd say yes to whatever he wants - it was like...what's the word..."

"Boring?"

"No!" She laughed.

"Soulless? Mind-numbing? Soul-destroying??"

"Wow - you're on a roll with this huh?"

"Told you I could be better than you think!"

"Let's just say it was very normal, okay? Soul-destroying sounds really harsh -"

"What he did was harsher -"

She covered her mouth instantly over the shade. "It was, wasn't it?? Oh God -"

"Yes, Lalisa. And the fact that you're laughing about it worries me,"

"Why?"

"Cus I don't think it's normal to laugh when you just found out that your boyfriend is getting married hours before you actually saw them at the wedding - I mean...I don't know much - but I think you should at least zone-out a little or something!"

"I know right?! It's so weird!!" She cups her face with both hands. "I'm weird aren't I?"

"So weird..." He smiled, resting his eyes on her, admiring the weirdo in front of him. Hell, maybe he's weird too for liking her this much! "Okay, I'm gonna ask you a very serious question! You up for it?"

She puts her hands down and her eyes got bigger. "Does it require calculations? Cus I would suck at it - I'm more of an artsy person -"

God...if you're hearing this...thank you for letting him sit next to her in that train! 

"How do you really feel about him?" Do you really wanna know Guk?? "Or the relationship I mean..."

She took some time to think. Jeongguk's heart races as he braced himself to hear it. 'Broken'...'sad'...'frustrated'...all of which would mean -

"Relieved," 

Did he hear it correctly? There are more people in the bar now and the music gotten louder as well -

"Like it's finally there in front of me. I think I've held on to the idea longer than I should. Everything I've done was cus he asked me to...but everyone knows you should think twice when the parents disapproved of you. And I'm really not the type that would ever ask anyone to choose me over their flesh and blood - so I just went along with it...try to work it out. He never asked me to quit,"

"But...you loved him?"

"To be honest? I think I did...he was nice to me - what's not to love?"

'Did'...she said 'did'.

...